1567 Moments
by CeltDragon
Summary: Quatre has cancer. not much else to say. When someone is di I mean sick it brings friends together. It's a little... ok a lot sad and quite a bit from experience so if its OOC I’m really sorry. I just get caught up in the memories... Beta on Crack sorry.
1. Cancer

1567 Moments

.:Cancer:.

"Where were you?"

"Cancer."

"What?"

"I have Cancer."

Trowa looked up from his computer screen and gave Quatre a quizzical look, "you have what?"

"Cancer! I have Cancer! The doctor said I could die!" Tears ran down Quatre's face.

"what-? I-" Trowa stood up and took the small young man in his arms, "You're not going to die…"

Quatre shook his head. Trowa pulled Quatre's chin up so as to see his eyes. He smiled at the soft blue color.

"What about Chemo therapy?"

Quatre nodded and picked up his brief case pulling out a packet of papers, "it's a lot of work and its life changing… I would need you a lot more then I do now."

"you don't need me now?"

"I mean for everything, the little things you don't think about I'd be more clingy then Relena is to Heero."

Trowa Laughed a little, "that was cynical of you."

"It happens… look I'm saying it would be a lot of trouble."

"And the alternative being you die-?"

"Yes."

"Make the appointment."

Quatre smiled slightly and kisses Trowa on the cheek, "furthermore it is quite expensive."

"We have plenty of money. If it comes to it I'll get a second job." Trowa looked at his lover's profile and frowned, "Quatre its going to be ok."

Quatre nodded and picked a phone number out of the packet, "Trowa do you want to get me the phone?"

Trowa nodded and crossed the room then again to sit next to Quatre again and handed him the phone. Quatre smiled sadly and dialed the number.

"Hello? Yes I'd like to make an appointment for a treatment of Chemo Therapy… yes. Quatre R. Winner huh? Oh. Sorry. yes um Doctor Samuel Reed. Ah yes Quatre… Q-U-A-T-R-E R.… oh Raberba R-A-B-E-R-B-A … Winner W-I-N-N-E-R… yes um… Tuesday…" he set his hand on the mouth piece and looked at Trowa, Trowa gave a small nod and set an arm around Quatre's shoulders, "yes Tuesday would be good. Thank you."

"It's done." Trowa said picking up the packet and opening it. Quatre nodded and put his head in Trowa's lap. Trowa smiled and stroked the soft blond hair and began to read out loud to Quatre.


	2. Whispers in the Dark

1567 Moments

.:Whispers in the Dark:.

Trowa raised his hand to knock on the tall black door. A soft sob came from inside the room.

"Qautre? Are you alright?"

A sniffle but no response. Trowa opened the door fear clawing at his hart with unreasonable intensity. There in the shower sat Quatre, water dripping from his body. This site should have aroused Trowa and normally would have but the tears falling almost as hard as the drops from the shower head ripped at Trowa's hart worse than the fear that had clutched it moments before. Quatre looked up from the clumps of hair on the bright white tiles.

"Quatre." Trowa said kneeling next to him and holding the limp naked form in his arms, "Quatre I-"

"I know I'm ugly ….."

Trowa gaped at Quatre, "No. not ugly. You'll never be ugly." The water poured down on the both of them soaking threw his suit shirt and slacks making them hang off him like a sagging suit of skin only to drape lovingly around Quatre's smooth soft body, "we can get you a wig if you want."

Quatre shook his head, "what do you want?"

Trowa ran a hand over Quatre's round bald head, " I want to shave my head now too."

Quatre laughed and stood up reaching across the still keeling Trowa to turn off the shower. He started as he felt dry fabric around his hips. He looked down and smiled as Trowa rubbed him dry, "Trowa. What are you doing?"

"Taking care of you." Trowa murmured handing the towel to Quatre and removing his own wet clothes and hanging them to dry on the shower curtains bar. Then deftly he wrapped the loose towel around Quatre and lifted his slight weight into his arms and walked out of the door into their apartment. Quatre pulled Trowa down and kissed him.

" I love you."

" I love you too." Trowa stood when the phone rang and walked swiftly into the kitchen. He picked up the black phone and winced as Dou's loud voice blared in his ear.

"Trowa! Hey! What's up? Your message was weird what's wrong with my little buddy Quatre?"

"He has cancer." Trowa said in his soft voice, " I was hoping you would be able to come and visit him"

Dou nodded forgetting as he did that Trowa couldn't see him.

"well?"

"oh yeah I'll be there. Huh well I have to go Heero is coming over for dinner I should probably get one made."

"you probably should." Trowa hung up and walked back to the bed, "Quatre how are you feeling?"

"Cold."

Trowa slipped under the sheets and pulled Quatre close to him. Quatre nuzzled his face into Trowa's neck his cold nose tickling the warm flesh.

"When you get better lets go on a cruise" Trowa whispered in Quatre's ear.

"I would like that……"

"and let's sit on the deck all day long and watch the dolphins swim along the side of the ship and go snorkeling and dancing and lets be tourists for once." Trowa felt Quatre's lips curl into a smile.

" I would like a vacation for being me… that sounds fun."

Trowa nodded and pulled away enough to look at Quatre's face, "I love you." he whispered.

Quatre plopped his head on the pillow and traced Trowa's earnest jaw line, "I love you too Mr. Barton."

Trowa stooped his head and kissed Quatre gentle and unassuming just a kiss nothing had changed it was still his Quatre, still his world, his depth. Nothing would change it never did Quatre would be there in the morning and so would the sun. Trowa gathered Quatre up like so much fabric and cradled him in his arms whispering more plans and words of love until they both fell into sleep.


	3. When we Come to it

1567 Moments

.:When We Come To It:.

The brightly pigmented flowers made the room seam less drab. The white walls seemed to come to life as if reflecting the brightness of the world the flowers had come from. Quatre grinned easily at Dou. The happiness Dou carried around with him was infectious.

"So how is Heero's divorce going?"

"It's not bad. Relena doesn't give up easy and you can tell she still loves him…."

"I see."

"But Heero's moved in with me so it's ok. He's giving almost everything up to her just so he can get out of the relationship… sometimes… sometimes I feel bad but then I roll over and see his face and I realize I don't feel that bad you know?"

Quatre smiled and put down his charcoal and flipped the picture so Duo could see. Duo took the picture and gazed at it as soft wistfulness shoot across his face, "that's all of us a few years back right?"

Quatre nodded "yeah at Trowa and my's wedding."

"you know I still have this photo in my living room you got Wufei's expressions just right."

Quatre shrugged as he took the picture back and looked at it appraisingly, "I had a lot of practice when we were dating."

"I'd forgotten you two dated." Duo got up and took the cake out of the screaming oven, "I guess it was so natural for you and Trowa to be together."

"there's no need"

"I'm not saying that to flatter you it's the truth"

"no there's no need to put it on the windowsill the fridge can chill it just as well."

Duo grinned and put the cake down on a shelf, "Heero might come over tonight"

Quatre grinned, "that sounds good maybe Trowa will be back by then."

Duo looked at his feet at this comment, "I…. well Trowa is working late tonight he said he could make an extra buck and that it wouldn't take too long just you know an extra couple of hours."

"ah. Ok then. I'll be sure to make left over's."

Duo laughed and pulled out a knife and started cutting up lettuce, "so what are you wearing to this year's Halloween party?"

Quater laughed, "I'll cross that bridge when I come to it, right now I'm wondering what I'm going to do about my next meeting. It's in a few days and I've been so wiped out I haven't prepared anything for the merger."

"that's a shame."

"what are you going to wear?"

"oh you know I'll cross that bridge and all just I was hoping I could steel an idea like I did last year."

"why not go as a bride?"

"Quatre, I don't cross dress. It's bad enough my boss thinks I'm a flat chested girl with a funky voice. I don't need everyone else to think so too."

"He really still thinks that after you told him you weren't and everything?"

"yeah he thinks I'm just some dirty chick that likes role playing sex or something."

"you could call the police on him."

"oh it's not that bad yet. Just a lude comment now and then. Any way I'll cross that bridge when I come to it."

The kitchen burst into laughter and the pigeons on the windows of adjacent apartments took flight speckling the cloudless sky with white and gray in a mocking tribute the sunset no one could see through the forest of buildings. Trowa looked at the birds wordlessly for a moment and then continued his work wondering if Quatre had seen the strange birds, _it would make him laugh_, Trowa thought to himself, _we all need a good laugh_.


	4. Wicked Dreams Abuse

1567 Moments

.: Wicked Dreams Abuse:.

The motorcycle splashed threw a puddle throwing more water into the air. The rain poured down in curtains making it impossible to see the road ahead. Trowa hit the turn to fast Quatre knew it before he began to spin out. the bike snapped Trowa's long sleek leg and pulled him like a rag doll across the bridge and over the edge smashing his head against the steel bars that made the structure of the bridge. Dazed Trowa fell his leg at a sickening angle. Quatre screamed his hands pressed against the window fogging the icy panel with his fearful breath.

Quatre struggled hard against the strong arms that were holding him so tightly.

"Quatre. Quatre calm down. It's just me." Trowa's soft voice made the round blue eyes shoot open.

"Trowa." Quatre gasped breathlessly he shot his pale arms around Trowa's neck and kissed him.

"You were having a nightmare" Trowa said sitting on the bed. The black comforter was warm against his chilled legs, "I'm sorry I took so long getting home… I should have called."

Quatre shook his head trying to clear it of the image of Trowa being swallowed up by the dark waters, "I'm just glad you're home." Quatre snaked his hand across Trowa's thigh to lace his fingers through Trowa's, "you're freezing!"

The exclamation jerked Trowa out of his thoughts, "huh? Uh… yeah."

Quatre knitted his blond brow and pulled Trowa down to lay on the bed. Quatre struggled for a moment with the blanket then draped it over Trowa.

"You look pretty bad…" Trowa murmured into Quatre's head.

"I was thronging up before I fell asleep."

"I'm sorry."

Quatre smiled and slipped out of bed, "I'll get your dinner,"

"I already had some….." there was no apologetic tone, no consolatory comment that fallowed just the standing silence.

"what?"

"my boss took me to dinner….. that's why I was late."

Quatre nodded and picked up a book, "your boss. Carmen?"

Trowa sat up and nodded, "yeah Carmen. She took me to dinner and gave me a promotion."

"Good." Quatre made a mark on his papers and smiled, "you must be tired a promotion is important."

Trowa nodded and walked into the bathroom.


	5. Lifes little Moments

1567 Moments

.: Life's little Moments:.

Quatre arched his back and threw his hips out his eye's half closed smiling at the feel of the floor under his bare feet. His body ungulate throwing ripples up and down his slender form. His hips hit their marks with the precision of years of practice. The music carried him to the deserts he loved so avidly and the fires around which everyone would dance. He didn't notice when Trowa walked in he didn't notice when he pulled out a chair to admire Quatre's dancing. It was a spell they were both lost into until the music stopped Quatre came back to earth and Trowa came back to sensibilities. Quatre picked up a towel and wiped his face as Trowa looked disapprovingly at him.

"you're supposed to resting."

"I was getting fat." Quatre said smiling at his tiny form in their mirror.

"you've never been fat."

"… I know that…. the truth is I missed belly dancing." Quatre smiled sheepishly and wiped the sweet off his exposed chest and stomach. Trowa shook his head and crossed his legs.

"besides I know you like it."

Trowa coughed a little and hoped silently that Quatre hadn't noticed that he was quite aroused. To late for that, he already new. Quatre always knew it was just something he had going for him. Trowa was torn away from his thoughts at the feeling of Quarter's hands on legs pulling them flat so he could straddle the strong thighs. Trowa watched the ornate Arabian's hooded eyes and kissed his soft lips. There was a strange soft sweet taste on his lips something like the honeysuckle out side of their window. Trowa moved his lips to the pale smooth neck and nipped it gently. It was quite different it was salty and gave a bight to Trowa's desire. Quatre arched into Trowa and without thinking he started to unbutton Trowa's shirt.

"I love you." Trowa breathed huskily into Quatre's ear. Quatre was beyond speech and only managed a strangled moan. Trowa picked him up bodily and carried him to the bed. Their lovemaking had always struck Quatre like dancing. He enjoyed it immensely and ever sense the treatments had started they hadn't been having much sex at all. They were both limber and could be in most any position in the Tama Sutra. In fact they had been threw the book several times it was on their shelf and they often laughed about the jokes in reference to it. there was no laughter this time however no fancy acts no creativity only sheer passion and need. A single fluid act of long overdue sex. After they lay nestled in their sheets. Quatre smiled but his face contorted into a cough that shook his body.

"Quatre?" Trowa said concernedly, "are you ok?"

"um." Quatre nodded and sat his head underneath Trowa's chin, "I'm fine."


	6. When and Alteration Finds

1567 Moments

.:When an alteration Finds:.

The treatments took so long, Quatre could finish an entire book during the treatments; he would sit gazing at the pages for two hours or more with spidery tubes sticking out of his arms. Twice a week every week for some odd 2 months now and Quatre was beginning to feel a little like a science experiment.

Trowa worked long hours every day leaving before Quatre woke in the morning and coming home after Quatre would fall sleep at night. It was lonely in their apartment, even though Duo would come over as often as possible and Herro would often drop by when he was in the neighborhood but Quatre was feeling the strain of life with out Trowa.

With a sigh Quatre closed his book and knitted his brow glaring at the door, where a buzz of activity was always present. Something caught his eye a head of black hair peeking over the crowd. It wasn't, it couldn't be Quatre hadn't seen Wufei in years but still as the hair bobbed closer Quatre couldn't stop his heart from racing with anticipation. In a moment more there he was the strong Chinese boy stood with his high cheek bones and gazed around the clinic as if searching for something then his dark eyes lighted on Quatre. Wufei was not much different then Quatre remembered still cool in his mannerisms still stiffly emotionless and still stunningly handsome.

"Winner."

"Wufei."

Trowa looked sadly at his photo of Quatre on his desk, he missed the blond, he missed the time they had together and he missed having a happy marriage. The photo had both of them in it standing in front of Mount Everest where they had spent their honey moon. A message popped up on his computer; _Trowa - Special Project, my office in 5 – Carmen_. Trowa sighed and stood up hating his life.

Then sat down again, "I should just quit… I can't take care of Quatre and do this…" the message flashed on his screen he looked back at the photo on his desk, "I can't loose him. I'm doing this for Quatre, because I love him." Trowa stood once more and walked to Carmen's office hesitated for a moment and then touched the com-pad.

"_Ma'am its Trowa Barton you called me to your office?"_

"_Ah yes, come in Trowa Darling."_

Trowa opened the door and walked into the office, "close the door dear."

Trowa did as he was instructed and came to the desk sitting down in a large leather chair, "you sent a message about a project?"

"Yes. Trowa take off your pants."

"What?"

"Take off your pants Trowa Darling."

"I don't know what you're trying to pull but this is sexual harassment, I could have you arrested."

"And you would be out of a job, and who would pay for the expensive Chemo Therapy for that husband of yours?"

Trowa wore a shocked look and Carmen turned her chair around to face Trowa, "yes Trowa darling, I do know about Mr. Quatre Winner's cancer, odd he didn't take your last name hum?"

"I'm not going to do this." Trowa stood and walked to the door reaching his hand out for the handle.

"You're fired."

"I'll get another job."

"Trust me Trowa darling I'll make dam sure you won't get another job in this city. Do you really think Mr. Winner will be willing to move because you can't keep a job?"

"You don't know Quatre Winner. You don't know him at all."

"Even so, no job and a husband with cancer-? It doesn't sound like a good situation to me. All I want Trowa dear is you to fuck me.

"You know I'm gay right?"

"That's what makes it so good, its one thing to seduce a strait man away from his wife but quite another to seduce a gay one. Now drop your pants, and come back over here."

Trowa lingered by the door for a moment and then undid his pants, stepping out of them and walking half naked back to the desk.

Carmen was a beautiful woman to be sure, round firm breasts, a sensually slim figure, most men would had delighted in her taking them in her mouth, Trowa felt sick. He wanted to throw up; he closed his eyes and put his head back trying to keep the bile from rising into his throat. Carmen took this to mean she was pleasuring the silent Young man and smiled stroking his length stood up pulling up her skirt and sinking Trowa deep into her body. Trowa jerked convulsively away only to be pulled back to Carmen's lips in a forced kiss.

"Oh Trowa!" Carmen moaned moving her hips to create friction, "tell me you love me."

"I- I love you." Trowa choked out his closed eyes feeling swelled in his attempt to stop himself from crying. Carmen lifted Trowa's hands to her breasts and rubbed them against his hands. Trowa new what she wanted and twisted her nipples messaging her breasts and fighting violently with his instinct to run to the window and jump into the street killing himself. Carmen came to her climax moaning and forcing Trowa as deep as she could into her body, the tightening of the orgasm brought Trowa over the edge and he came with a strangled whimper and pushing Carmen unceremoniously off him and walking to the door pulling his pants back on.

"You can keep your job Trowa."

Trowa walked out of the room and down to the hall collapsing in the bathroom vomiting in the stall and shaking with silent sobs.

End of Chapter 6 Part 1 of 3


	7. My Real Life

1567 Moments

.:My Real Life:.

Trowa rested his head on the wall of the stall and shook as if he had a fever.

"Trowa? Trowa? Man you in here?" it was a co-worker of his a pudgy boy of 18 fresh to the work force and very intelligent.

"I'm in here."

"What j'a doin' in there Trowa? You sound sick you ok man?" the boy opened the door to find Trowa on his knees pale faced and red eyed, "Shit… you look like shit man. You sick?"

"I'm fine Erick" Trowa choked on his own words knowing the lies he would have to tell, "I just ate the wrong thing is all." He went to the sink and washed his face and then his mouth taking a deep steadying breath.

"You should go home Trowa… you have the rest of the day off any way."

"What?"

"Carmen sent around a news letter announcing you would keep your promotion and new pay but only work half days, lucky dog what'd j'a have to do to get that; make out with her?"

Trowa felt the blood just returning to his face soak out again but he smiled indulgently, "that would be a trip wouldn't it?"

"Oh I forgot you're gay though… huh never mind then." Erick clapped Trowa on the back and they walked to the door together, Trowa still forcing a fake laugh from his raw throat, "you should go home man you need the rest."

"I will thanks." Trowa drifted off to his cubical and packed up his papers then walked down the parking garage, there was a flower shop on the way back to the apartment he and Quatre shared he would buy Quatre some flowers on the way home. Even if he didn't have the nerve to tell Quatre what had happened yet the flowers would put his mind at somewhat of an ease. Trowa pondered what sort of flower to get Easter Lillis had always had a special meaning between them but he thought it best to shy away from the largely apologetic flower roses would have been good he thought to himself if he wasn't worried about the thorns cutting Quatre and exposing him to infection.

The shop was a small one, but it was so brightly colored with the flowers it looked twice as grand as any chain store one could find.

"Mr. Barton," an old man said coming out of the back room with a fresh vase of water, "what's the occasion, not an anniversary, I know that, not an apology I hope."

"Actually Abuelito it is an apology but Quatre doesn't know I messed up yet so could you help me find something discreet?"

The old Puerto Rican man smiled at Quatre and shuffled over to the daisies, "A dozen white daisies ought to do it white like the lilies to and Mr. Winner like so much but cheerful and light hearted so as not to rouse any suspicions. I'll have Maria wrap them up for you shall I?"

"Thank you Abuelito."

The old man shuffled back into the back room and Trowa could hear him speaking Spanish with his granddaughter that helped run the shop. Maria emerged from the back room shouting over her shoulder, "Ay! Abuelo no me encanta Señor Barton! Sorry about that"

"It's fine Maria."

"What'd you do?"

"I don't want to talk about it."

"Ok. So how you been Mr. Barton? How's Mr. Winner did he get our get well soon bundle?"

"He did, he's doing much better thank you." Trowa couldn't look at the young woman he instead looked around the room he couldn't help but feel worse and worse as Maria chatted carelessly about how much happiness Quatre brought other costumers when he would come in and walk threw the shop running his hands over the blossoms, how he looked like an islander instead of an Arabian but then praise god she handed Trowa his flowers and Trowa left murmuring his thanks and leaving the money on the counter.

The drive home was not a long one but Trowa felt a led weight in his stomach as he made the drive. The door to their apartment sung open and he saw Quatre sitting at the table his hand in Wufeii's and despite everything that had happened that day Trowa's hands shook with a jealous anger. Quatre saw Trowa and quickly yanked his hand away and standing to greet his husband, "You're home early." He said in light tone smiling and walking to hug Trowa.

"What's he doing here?" Trowa hissed his hands shaking so violently from nerves and guilt and anger that the petals had began to fall off the daisies.

"Wufei came to visit; he picked me up from Chemo today."

Trowa walked past Quatre into the kitchen and setting the manhandled daisies in t a vase then turning to face the apartment at large. His hands arms crossed trying to conceal his shaking. Wufei stood and walked to the closet taking his jacket out and nodding to Trowa before briefly hugging Quatre and walking into the hall and closing the door behind him.

"Trowa, what's wrong? You look sick."

"I – Quatre why were you holding his hand?"

"I wasn't holding his hand, my hands were cold he was trying to warm them up. See?" Quatre put his hands to Trowa's face then stood on his toes and pecked Trowa on the lips, "what's wrong?"

Trowa couldn't look at Quatre he couldn't look into his husband's eyes and lie to him, he couldn't touch him. Trowa was disgusting, his skin felt like a cold slime and it drenched his clothes. Why couldn't Quatre see it? How did he not know?

Quatre looked quizzically at Trowa and took his hands, "come and play with me."

Trowa looked over Quatre's head at the small cabinet that held their instruments.

"I have to shower." Trowa murmured before pulling his hand gently out of Quatre's grasp and walking past him towards the bathroom. Quatre watched him go and let his hands drop to his sides and walked to the cabinet producing his violin.

The song he played was a slow one, one Trowa new well and welsh love song, a slow haunting song. Trowa let the hot water scald his shoulders and back as he held himself up on the wall. He didn't know he was crying the tears were lost in the burning water. The song drifted around him. The soft notes feeling like gun shots in his heart. Trowa punched the wall hitting the title on the wall over and over again.

"God dam it." Trowa swore as blood started trickling from his knuckles. He walked out of the shower and into the kitchen.

"Trowa?!" Quatre gasped forgetting his violin on the bed and rushing over to the scalded bleeding naked young man that had emerged from the shower, "Trowa what happened?"

"I… hurt my self."

"Clearly," Quatre smirked and pulled the first aid kit down from the shelf it rested on, "come here." Quatre bandaged Trowa's hand so gently Trowa could have sworn nothing was touching him. When he was done with Trowa's hand Quatre kissed it and moved to the scalded back, he rubbed ointment on the burns, his light fingers moving gently over Trowa's back.

"I love you Trowa." Quatre whispered into his husband's hair kissing the back of Trowa's head.

"I love you too."

"How'd you get hurt?"

"Slipped."

Quatre smiled and kissed Trowa on the cheek, "you shouldn't have the water that hot too; be more careful."

"Alright," Trowa murmured standing and moving to the cabinet and taking out his flute, setting it to his lips and playing a low sad song he had heard when he was a child. Then the song had reminded him of a tortes but now he new the song was about him, about a man who had broken the most precious rule. Quatre smiled and lay in the bed his eyes hooded by illness, until he fell asleep his head making a dent in the smooth comforter and lips slightly parted as if he were about to speak. Trowa kept playing even after the song was done he kept playing, not wanting to see Quatre's pale face. So blissfully unaware, Trowa couldn't see Quatre sleep so peacefully when he stood so close to him, he couldn't. So he kept playing his eyes closed as if he too was asleep.

Wufei sat drinking tea in Duo's apartment across the table from Herro, "something was up between them today…" Wufei murmured not looking at Herro choosing instead to watch the tea leaves at the bottom of his cup.

The soft music wafted from the radio serenading Herro as he thought for a moment.

"Like what?"

"Like something that could rip them apart." Wufei smirked, "oddly, some how I never thought that moment would come for them, I always new Quatre and I would end but Trowa was made for Quatre… and Quatre likewise. Herro what has been happening in the last few months?"

Herro raised and eyebrow and poured himself more tea then took a breath and looked at Wufei, "Do you want to know? Honestly?"

Wufei nodded and Herro began filling in the blanks.

End of chapter 6 part 2 of 3


	8. We Built This

1567 Moments

.:We Built This:.

Rashid drove the large black car up to the building from, Quatre got out of the car making sure his hat was on properly and walked up the steps waving at his old friend and going into the office building. It was two weeks from the day Trowa had burn himself in the shower and Quatre wanted to surprise his husband with a home made meal at lunch.

The elevator opened and Quatre stepped quickly into the hustle and bustle until he found Erick.

"Erick, where's Torwa's new station?"

"Eh?" Erick looked up and smiled at Quatre, "Hey! It's over there next to the window but he's not there he's in out bosses office."

"Carmen?"

"Yeah."

"Witch direction is that?"

"It's the only office on this floor, you turn left and go to the end of the cubicles and it's across from the copy room."

"Thank you." Quatre smiled and dug in his bag producing a small box, "I made you some rice balls."

"Shit, thanks Quatre, you're like the mother I never had."

Quatre smiled and clasped hands with Erick briefly then walked down the room to Carmen's office. He stood quietly for a moment then herd a quiet moan come from in side the room, Quatre knitted his brow and turned his ear to the shuddered window. It wasn't like him to listen in on things but something peculiar was happening, possibly to his Trowa. Another moan came louder this time and Quatre blushed slightly knowing what was happening in the room, but surly Trowa wouldn't be in there, it was best if he left, Trowa could be any where in the room and Quatre had just missed him.

"Trowa." Was the next thing Quatre heard as he was turning away from the window, "Trowa!"

Quatre grabbed the door handle and yanked, the sheer force of his pull and the age of the latch made the door swing open violently throwing a beam of light onto the seen. Trowa sat in a leather chair and Carmen sat on top of him sinking Trowa's length into her ass. Quatre stood stunned, Trowa opened his eyes watery and glazed from holding back the tears, and Carmen stopped her progress and shrieked standing quickly and pulling her skirt down again. Trowa pulled up his pants and stood walking over to Quatre tears falling from his eyes blurring his sight. The bag dropped from Quatre's hand and his hands balled into fists his eye flashing. Carmen looked terrified at the furious almost animal expression on Quatre's face as he ran at her. Trowa caught him around the waist and hauled him back to the door. Quatre flailed and grabbed trying to claw out Carmen's eyes.

"Quatre. Quatre!" Trowa shouted trying to calm him, but to no avail Quatre turned his attacks on Trowa fighting furiously to be set free. Trowa let go and Quatre grabbed his bag running tears soaking his face.

"Quatre!" Trowa chased him to the elevator where he caught Quatre's wrist, "Quatre hear me out."

"Am I that ugly?! How long Trowa!?"

"What?"

"How long?! How long have you been with her?"

"I- Quatre."

"How God Dam long?!" Quatre demanded trying desperately to free his wrist.

"Two weeks."

Quatre broke down into new tears still yanking on his wrist for freedom, "let me go! Let me go!"

Wufei walked out of an elevator his attention instantly caught by Quatre's voice he came running up the hall Duo close on his heals. Wufei found the pressure point on Trowa's wrist quickly and brought the young man to his knees then turned him over to Duo and taking Quatre down the hall towards the elevator. For the second time that day the paper bag dropped from Quatre's hand, but this time it was not from shock it was from grief.

Duo sat on the floor with Trowa and looked at him like he had gone crazy.

"You want to explain to me why my best friend is sobbing as his husband is holding his wrist and crying himself?"

"Quatre walked in on Carmen and I having sex."

"What?!" Duo stood up and put his hands on is hips, "there is no excuse you can tell me that- "

"I was going to loose my job if I didn't." Trowa blurted huddling himself against the wall.

"So you had sex with her? Your job isn't that good."

"Carmen knows every employer in the city… she was going to make sure I didn't get another job. Duo I couldn't be out of a job, not with Quatre having cancer, I couldn't… we need the money."

Duo was silent staring at Trowa, "Shit."

Wufei stood in the parking garage holding Quatre, "what happened?"

"Trowa... was… he was having sex with his boss."

Wufei's already hard features became stone and his hands balled into fists, "how long has he been-"

"Two weeks."

"Call Rashid, I'll be back in a moment." Wufei walked off back to the elevator and when he reached the sixth floor saw Duo and Trowa talking.

"Shit." Duo said rubbing the back of his head and looking dazed.

Wufei walked up to Trowa grabbing him by the front of his shirt and slammed him against the wall, "you worthless disgrace."

Trowa balled his fists and grabbed Wufei's shirt as well, Wufei pulled his free hand back and landed the first punch a crunching noise resounded and Trowa's face was quickly covered in blood from his broken nose. Trowa sung a punch into Wufei's mouth and the two were soon all out fighting ready to kill the other. Duo wrapped his arms around Trowa's waist and pulled him down the hall.

"Wufei stop it!" Duo shouted and walked back to the bleeding young man at the other end of the hall, "Wufei, look this is just as twisted as a romance novel, there's a sub plot that is really sick, so before you go and kill Trowa just hear me out on this."

End Chapter 6 Part 3 of 3


	9. How Long Will I Slide

1567 Moments

.:How Long Will I Slide:.

Rashid was never a man to fly to anger, he was a level head man, with the age to temper passion but as he drove the car an unexpected anger gripped his heart. Trowa had never seemed like the type to cheat on Quatre. Then again Quatre didn't look like this was sort of Joke, it wouldn't be his kind of humor any way.

"Quatre come up to the front seat."

Quatre nodded and climbed into the front seat, "Rashid where are we going?"

"The Winner Manor."

"Rashid, I don't think-"

"Quatre I've known you for long enough to know you need rest, I'm taking you to a place of rest."

Quatre nodded knowing Rashid was right, he was always right when it came to things like this. Rashid couldn't help holding the steering wheel with white knuckles seeing Quatre so upset, but he knew Quatre and said nothing.

Wufei sat motionless as the blood was cleaned off of him and the whole sad circumstance was related to him.

Trowa lay in a hospital bed and had I nose repaired by a robot the cold medal fingers reminding him of Quatre's frozen hands the first night after. He wandered silently what those soft hands were so cold for.

Duo sat Herro's arm around him as he told both men about the twisted world their friends had fallen in. Wufei didn't smile in relief only glared at the nurse his face twisting into a more fiercely angry look with each passing sentence.

"So that's what happened. Trowa was black mailed kinda'… and Quatre left before he could get the whole story, not that I blame him…."

"God dam it!" Wufei swore throwing down the ragging being brought to his face, "that fucking woman."

"Wufei, hey calm down." Duo said helping the nurse pick the things up.

"This is the worst injustice!"

Herro smirked at the familiar term, "look Wufei we're all smart here, we'll be able to figure something out."

"You don't seem to understand Herro; Quatre Winner is one of the richest men on earth and in the colonies, if he doesn't want to see any of us again he's not going to have trouble with the logistics."

Duo dropped the rag he was handing to the nurse and drove to get it then stood again, "I never looked at it that way… but Quatre, he's a reasonable guy… he'll see us, he's my best friend, he's not going to pull anything like that…"

"Rashid is with him… we'll be lucky if Trowa gets past the front gate."

"Front gate?" Duo turned around to see Herro's intense eyes connected with Wufei having one of their brief and rare mutual understandings.

"Rashid will take Quatre to a secure and peaceful place." Wufei murmured.

"You mean the Winner Manor?" Duo shook his head and put his hands in his pockets, "Quatre isn't going to turn the Winner Manor into some kind of fortress. I know him trust me."

Trowa walked into the room and stood at the door, "so what's the plan?"

"…We don't have one yet."

Trowa nodded and walked down the hall.

"Where are you going?!" Duo shouted at Trowa's back.

"I'm going to get my Husband back."

The Winner manor was a huge stately house and a lovely garden Trowa remembered well. He marched up the front walk his purpose still hot in his mind a sharp whistling caught Trowa's attention and as he turned he was hit in the chest by something and 100 volts of electricity was jolted threw his body. Trowa fell to the ground and a slim man dressed in black stood out of the bushes, "target down," he said into his wrist and walked over to Trowa, "Sir no trespassers on the Winner estate."

"I'm not a trespasser." Trowa groaned, "I'm Quatre Winner's husband."

"Ah I see." The man picked Trowa up and dragged him back to the gate then picking him up bodily and throwing him into the street. Trowa lay there stunned his arms spread wide and his unblinking. Duo got out of the parked car and knelt by Trowa, "nice try buddy."

Duo walked up to the gate and yelled at the retreating guard, "Hey! I want to talk to Mr. Quatre Raberba Winner!"

"Who are you?"

"I'm Duo Fucking Maxwell! Let me in!"

The man nodded and walked back to the gate, "Well Mr. Maxwell, Mr. Winner is not taking any visitors come back in a week."

"You don't understand, I have to talk to Quatre, I have to tell him - somthing." Trowa ended lamely.

"Mr. Barton, Mr. Maxwell I have to ask you to leave."

Duo nodded and took Trowa by the arm as they walked back to the car. They sat in the vehicle all four of them a leaden silents hanging in the air. Trowa sat staring out the window as the other murmured a plan B into existence.

Trowa looked around at his name and saw Duo had a mischievous grin, "we have a plan."

"Good for you."

"So this is it we're going to get a-"

"Duo, I don't care just take me home."

"What?" Duo's face was blank his mind not processing the words.

"Take me home."

A smile crossed Duo's face, "good idea you should get sleep we'll pick you up when its time to run the operation."

"No Duo."

"Trowa… what?"

"No picking me up, no operation, nothing. Just take me back to my apartment."

Herro nodded knowing exactly what was going threw Trowa's head and fired up the engine rolling threw the city ending up back at the apartment. Trowa got out of the car and walked up the stairs his throat tight and mind shut down. He was exhausted his body hurt, because his heart hurt, because such an important part of him was hurt, because he had fucked up. He slammed into his apartment and threw his jacket across the room. He used to be able to deal with shit like this he used to not be able to get close to people but Quatre had spoiled him had loved him so completely he had wormed his way under Trowa's skin, the sheer memory of him drove Trowa crazy.

Trowa picked up the bottle from the bottom shelf in the fridge and poured the contents into a cup drinking it then forgetting the cup drinking strait from the bottle. Dam him for this, dam him for hurting Quatre, how did it get this way? How did a sacrifice to save Quatre rip him apart? Why did Trowa's pain have to destroy the only happiness left to him? Trowa threw the bottle away from him it smashed the alcohol drenching everything around it. Trowa swore and walked away from the mess stripping his clothes off himself and leaving them in a heap then turned on the shower and looked at his arm it was riddled with scars from his 'meetings' with Carmen during the past two weeks.

Trowa nodded as if making a decision with an invisible occupant of the room and picked up his strait edge razor. The mirror was fogged with steam from the shower Trowa stepped into the scalding water his face unchanging with the resolution of his thoughts. He lifted the razor and dug it into his wrist cutting deeper then he'd ever done before.

Quatre cried out and woke sweet covering his body, "Rashid?" he asked looking around the room.

"Yes Quatre?" Rashid murmured looking at Quatre's pale face.

"I'm so sad… my heart hurts Rashid."

Rashid nodded and pushed Quatre gently back into the pillow, "it will pass."

"Rashid, it was terrible I was in a dark room and Trowa found me and he was going to help me but then he started running away from me… and I told him not to run that way but he started falling… he died…"

Rashid gazed at Quatre for a moment, "I see"

"… I know I shouldn't miss him Rashid… but I do… with all my sole I miss him… my heart hurts with out him Rashid."

Rashid nodded, "Quatre I've known you for a long while and I would like to think I know you, and in my opinion sir, you are better off with out some one that would throw you away so carelessly."

Quatre smiled sadly and hugged the huge man, "I hope you are right my friend."


	10. I Believe

1567 Moments

.:I Believe:.

Duo walked into the silent apartment he had a box of food in one hand and a bottle of water in the other, "Trowa?" Duo set the food down on the table and saw the broken bottle, "Trowa?! Where are you?!" he heard the shower going and ran to the bathroom and yanked open the door. Trowa lay with a stream of blood flowing from his wrist. His skin was red and raw from a long period in the scalding water and Duo dove for Trowa's limp form, "come on come on Trowa don't you be dead. Don't you dare be dead." the pulse was faint but there it was Duo hauled the half drowned Trowa out of the shower and wrapped a tourniquet around the spurting wrist. Then wrapped Trowa in a blanket and carried him down the stairs.

Herro looked up from his book and saw Duo's flushed face and the limp figure in his arms, "what happened?"

"Trowa tried to kill himself."

"God dam it." Herro murmured taking Trowa from Duo's arms freeing his hands to call the hospital, "hi, no I can't be put on hold, yeah I have a guy with me he cut his wrist, yes its bad, yes it was deliberate! It's fucking deep ok?! He's half dead, he's got extensive burns on his body from scalding water in his shower. I AM CALM! Look I'm going to bring him in I just need an emergency room ready. His name? Trowa are you kidding me? T-R-O- no** O**-W-A… Barton, shit Herro how do you spell Barton?" Duo held the phone up to Herro's mouth,

"B-A-R-T-O-N, yes, alright."

Duo put the cell up to his ear again, "yeah ok, ten minuets tops. K. thanks." Duo took Trowa back and the two men got in Herro's car and drove to the hospital.

"Mr. Winner just sine here, here, and here and you will once again be the sole head of Winner enterprises, along with your job returning your considerable wealth will be restored to you, sounds a lot better then living on a worker's salary doesn't it?" Quatre smiled blandly and signed the documents, "It's a pleasure to have you back with us Mr. Winner, I assume now your cancer treatments will be no problem?"

"Meaning?" Quatre asked, not looking up from the papers a stern look on his smooth face.

"Only that a worker's salary… I - I apologies sir, it is only that the board of directors that took over after you looked into a Certain Trowa Barton's salary and were shocks. If I may ask did you miss the wealth?"

"I would have missed it a great deal more if my company went under."

"Understandable… Sir why did you give up the job? Why would you step down during a period when you needed your money most?"

"I do not think that is quite the subject to discuses with an employ." Quatre spoke sharply shooting the lawyer with a fierce look.

"Yes sir." He took the legal documents from Quatre and walked to the door.

"But sense you asked; I did it because I couldn't manage the work. I was too sick, and I trusted Mr. Barton to be able to provide for me."

The man nodded and walked out of the room, "Rashid," Quatre murmured.

"Yes Quatre?"

"I want a press conference to announce my reinstatement as head of the Winner enterprises."

"I'll have the press notified."

"Thank you."

/_and in other news Quatre Winner has retaken Winner Enterprises. Wow Dian isn't that great? We certainly have missed his handsome smile; and now we go live to Mr. Winner's announcement_/

Quatre's face appeared on the TV in the Hospital waiting room, it looked thin and pale, his face harder then it should have been and his posture stiff instead of his usual relaxed personable pose/_It is my pleasure to announce I am once again the head of Winner enterprises and I look forward to working with the community as I have always done to build a better tomorrow_/

Duo shook his head, Quatre was going to kill himself threw work and Duo knew it, he was going to find every excuse to end his life in a slow way trying to tell himself he wasn't really killing himself. Duo was so frustrated by this he got up and shut off the TV in the middle of a question.

"Herro we have to do operation **G.Q.T.H.T.S.T.T.T.U.A.T.T.A.C. **tonight."

"Operation what?"

"Operation **G**et **Q**uatre **T**o **H**ear **T**he **S**tory **T**rowa **T**o **T**old **U**s **A**ll **T**hat's **T**rue **A**nd **C**omplete."

"I thought we were calling it Operation Butterfly…"

"Herro… that sounds so gay."

"Are… Are you kidding me? All of us are gay…"

"Valid point, ok so Operation butterfly flies tonight."

Herro shook his head, "I've created a monster."

Trowa opened his eyes and looked at a tall blond man standing with a clip board in his hand, "welcome Mr. Barton."

"Am I dead?"

"No Mr. Barton, your friends brought you in just before that point."

Trowa sighed tears falling out of the corners of his eyes silent sobs racking his body.

"Mr. Barton are you alright?"

Trowa shook his head and put a burnt hand up to his face, "I want to die"

"well Mr. Barton people don't come to hospitals to die the come to live. So you're in quite the wrong place for that sort of thing."

A nurse came in a huge smile in her face, "Mickey did you hear? Quatre Winner is head of Winner enterprises again!"

Trowa shook violently the sobs racking his body, it was uncontrollable and ridicules, he'd never cried this much in the years he was a soldier but still he couldn't stop.

Duo and Herro and Wufei were hunched dressed all in black in the back of a van.

"ok put hands in." Duo said pulling on his mask.

Wufei rolled his eyes and reluctantly added his hand into the group, "is this really necessary?"

"yes, now shut up and let me say something, to Operation Butterfly; Float like a butterfly sting like a bee!" Duo grind and jumped out of the van's back.

"you know this is serious right?"

"Yeah. Just as serious as anything we did in the war, just… in a different way."

Wufei and Herro looked at each other and climbed out of the van and began to creep to the far wall of the Winner Manor.

"So Quatre's rich again?" a guard asked another as they played cards in the garden.

"Yeah, Mr. Winner for fitted his fortune when he gave up his head position in the company, but now he's back so he's rich again."

"Why'd he give this up?" the guard asked gesturing around at the manor.

"You try running a multi-million dollar company when you have cancer."

"Yeah… I spose…"

Duo pulled out a gun and aiming silently shot both guards in the neck with darts and then running past them picked up a walky-talky. Duo stalked silently past the shrubs and stopped at the corner then motioned for the two waiting men to join him. Wufei and Herro quickly joined and to their surprise a guard rounded the corner, he stood there stunned for a moment and then went for his stun gun.

"Sting like a bee!" Duo shouted pointing at the Guard and Wufei kicked the gun from the man's hands then twisting his entire body Ax kicked the man with the same foot in the collar bone effectively bringing him to his knees.

"Move." Herro hissed and they sprinted to the target wall quickly scaling it up to the window and one by one swinging into the manor, "30 second to brake the lock" Herro hissed again as Duo knelt fiddling with the door knob.

"10 seconds, Duo."

"I'm working on it."

"move." Wufei pushed Duo aside and glared at the door the pulling back his fist punched the door his fist going threw the wood and grabbed the knob on the other side swinging the door open.

"How'd you know it was ply-wood?"

"I didn't… I thought I was going to break the latch…"

"Or your hand."

"50 seconds to find Quatre." Herro reminded closing the door. They split up. Wufei opened the door to the bathroom and saw Quatre soaking in a hot bath. The young man looked sadder then he had ever done when he was in the war.

"Quatre?" Wufei murmured walking into the bathroom.

"Wufei?!" Quatre jumped and curled into a ball.

"I know what you look like naked Quatre."

Quatre nodded but didn't relax a gold necklace caught Wufei's eye, "is that a locket?"

"eh? Yeah… Trowa and I exchanged them on our 5th…" Quatre trailed off his eyes becoming watery, "I shouldn't be this sad, my heart shouldn't hurt this much."

Wufei shook his head, "an injustice has been made and I intend to correct it."

"Don't do anything to Trowa Wufei."

"No." Wufei shook his head, "the injustice is not of his doing it is upon him."

Quatre looked at Wufei confused and Wufei started to explain the story to Quatre in the best manner he could. Quatre nodded slowly comprehension dawning on him and a gentle smile forming on his lips.

"So you see," Wufei murmured, "Trowa loves you, more then you think… you're heart hurts because you know there was more to what you're husband was doing."

Quatre nodded and stood grabbing a towel and walking back into his main room to see Duo and Herro standing their hands on their hips glaring at Wufei, "we were supposed to tell him together." Duo scowled.

"I was never much for team play." Wufei murmured holding out a pair of pants for Quatre to slip into.


	11. Till The End

1567 Moments

.:Till the End:.

Trowa laid a wake in his hospital bed long after the rest of the patients had fallen into their fitful sleep. Even the man that spent his days moaning from the pain he felt had finally fallen from the world of the waking. Trowa couldn't sleep, he wouldn't sleep he knew the only image his mind would present him with was that of Quatre. He couldn't help but know that seeing Quatre's smiling face in his dreams would be twice as painful as not seeing him at all.

The ceiling above him mocked his sleepless eyes with a banal and uninterrupted coat of white paint, to move was impossible at this point and to think was dangerous. He heard foot steps coming down the hall and new it to be the light tap of the blond doctor, his tired eyes entered gazing at Trowa, "wake are we Mr. Barton?"

"No. I'm sleeping."

"Must be like a fish then."

"What?"

"Fish, fish sleep with their eyes open."

Trowa sighed and looked at the ceiling showing no interest in the doctor. Mickey came in the dark room and sat on a stool, "I understand your condition was caused by attempted suicide?"

"Yes."

"Why would you try and kill your self?"

"I messed up. I lost the one thing that matters to me."

"An object is nothing to kill your self over."

Trowa snapped his head over to fix the doctor with a hateful glare, "not a thing my husband you idiot, I thought doctors were supposed to be intelligent."

"What happened to your husband?"

"That's none of your business."

Mickey nodded and his broad shoulders sagged, "do you know how old I am Mr. Barton?"

Trowa didn't answer, clearly open hostility was not driving the man off the last resort for him was to return to what he was best at silents.

"I'm 40, and when I was 20 I married my wife, we loved each other more then anything and we had two children and one on the way, one day I was stuck in traffic and while I was still trying to get home a man came and broke into our house killing my wife as she tried to protect our children and then killed my two kids. Susan and Michel when I came home and opened that door their murderer was eating them."

"The Cannibal sent by god.…" Trowa murmured.

"Yes that's what he called himself, the point is Mr. Barton you are a young man, you have a life ahead of you, ending it now will not make you feel any better, true I will never love again but Mr. Barton I will never give up because when I loose my life to the blade of a razor the Cannibal wins, he wins in every way possible."

Trowa shook his head, "no. Quatre is my heart, with out a heart no one can live, as a doctor I'm sure you know that." Silents was hard to keep at this point Trowa knew he needed to talk to someone but he didn't want it to be this doctor he'd only known for a few hours.

Mickey nodded and stood, "alright then I'm very sorry to hear that." Mickey walked out his hands in his pockets and head down as if he wore the weight of a thousand memories on his neck. Trowa wondered silently what would make such a young looking man seem so old. The lay sleepless for a long while and then he was sure he was dreaming when a small light built young man walked into the hospital room. Trowa blinked trying to wake himself from the dream but Quatre approached him with out falter, tears stained his face and Trowa reached out a hand to wipe the tears away. Quatre took it and kissed the burnt finger tips and then the palm and then leaning over the wires and tubes his tears dropping on the blue sheets, kissed Trowa.

Trowa closed his eyes, his one hand interlaced with Quatre's as they lay in the hospital bed together. Quatre kissed Torwa's eye lids as they closed in exhaustion and Trowa finally fell into a sweet dreamless sleep. Quatre stood up and pulled a chair close to the bed and put his head on Trowa's stomach closing his eyes and falling to sleep as well.

Duo grinned at the two of them and took Herro's hand in his own and kissed him on the cheek. Wufei nodded gently and put his hands in his pocket fallowing the two other men out of the hospital into the night air.

"Wufei you alright?" Duo asked looking back over his shoulder.

"Yes… yes I think I am"

Duo grinned and kissed Hero and allowed himself to be gently dragged down the street to his own apartment.

Wufei stood his hands in his pockets gazing at the stars and sighed, "Where are you?"

A star twinkled as if in some unheard response and Wufei threw his head back laughing at himself, at the star and at the whole dam world.

Trowa woke with a weight on his stomach a warm weight that was breathing warm breath into the sheets. Quatre looked into Trowa's eyes with love on every inch of his face, "Trowa, I want you to know Carmen is going to go to jail even if I have to give up my position as head of Winner Enterprises forever,"

"Quatre, it's not worth-"

Quatre shook his head and kissed Trowa's words from his lips, "I'm too in love with you to let something like that fall" the Arabian smiled and kissed Trowa again, "I'll be back at lunch with Duo and Wufei, we'll make the plans and Duo will brief Hero tonight ok?"

Trowa smiled gently and nodded, he knew there was no argument that could change Quatre's mind, and there was no reason to. The nightmare was over and Trowa had known from the first day Quatre had taken charge of the Gundam unit that he would fallow the young man till the end.


	12. Heaven on their Minds

1567 Moments

.:Heaven on their Minds:.

Herro lay on his back in the middle of Duo's apartment listening to their plan. The cool wood felt good against his bare back and he closed his eyes, "Duo… we're going to catch her?"

"Basically, yeah."

"How? Seduction isn't a crime."

"Thank god its not or I'd never have gotten you in bed but sexual harassment that is punishable by law"

"Duo this is more hair brained then Operation Butterfly."

"That's what Wufei and Trowa said and Quatre just looked confused."

"I have a better plan."

"Really?"

Herro nodded and pulled Duo close to him and kissed him gently, "yes I have a great plan."

Releena sat across the table in a tea house from Herro and Wufei her finger tapping out the rhythm of song a dancer played for another girl whom danced on the stage, "So Herro darling you're telling me that this Carmen Woman is a threat to the peace in the colonies?"

Wufei nodded succinctly and Herro made a small noise of accent.

"How so?" Releena asked watching only half interested in the elaborate dance now being performed.

"She's undermining a major corporation in the peace effort."

"Again Herro how so?"

"Sexual activity with employees, money skimming, and corruption in the system, allowing employees to get promotions threw sexual acts."

Releena sniffed angrily, "why are you telling me?"

"So you can help bring her down, you and I fought for many years to get the colonies to be at peace I won't see it jeopardized by a slut."

Releena nodded curtly and stood "I'll do what I can." She smiled faintly and then walked away her head high with all manor of thoughts in her head.

As Wufei and Herro walked down the street Wufei's cell phone rang and to is surprise it was Trowa calling, "hello?"

"Wufei hi, this is Trowa… but I guess you already new that… I… appreciate you talking to Quatre… I… thanks."

Wufei walked for a moment silently, "no problem…" he hung up the phone with out saying goodbye and slid it back into his pocket.

"What was that about?"

"Trowa wanted to thank me…"

"For talking to Quatre?"

"Yes…"

Herro shrugged and walked up to the corner and turned on to a side street to find Duo waiting patently, "So Herro how'd it go?"

"She's in. All we have to do is let her destroy Carmen and no trace is on us or Quatre."

"Right." Wufei was gone from the group after this word and didn't seem to be in the mood to be sitting around and waiting.

"Where's Quatre?"

"The oncologist they have to see if the Treatments have worked Trowa's with him…" Duo looked a little pale and strained when the sentence came from his mouth. Herro nodded knowing why Duo was concerned, he took Duo's hand and they walked silently to work.

"Mr. Winner it gives me no pleasure to tell you this… none at all… but the treatments haven't been working as we had hoped, we're very sorry, you look like you have only a few weeks left…"

Trowa's face drained of blood as he sat in the cold office Quatre's hand in his. Quatre's hands shook as if they were leaves and the autumn wind had come to rip them off the tree.

"A few weeks of what?" Quatre asked the awful truth not sinking in.

"Only a few weeks to live… Mr. Winner I'm very sorry."

They walked out of the office a dreadful silents all around them, the hustle and bustle of the oncology center did not break threw their silent grief, as they walked slowly down to the garage. What should have been a romantic ride home was marred by the news and as they road on the bike back to the apartment Trowa could feel Quatre sobbing as he clung to Trowa's back.

"Quatre is going to die." Duo murmured laying on the bed his hand still holding a phone as if he had only just finished the conversation with Trowa a minuet ago although it had been hours. Herro couldn't speak he stood in the door frame in silents then nodded.

"That's all? A nod! I just told you our little buddy Quatre- Quatre Raberba Winner is going to die and all you do is nod?" Duo rolled over slamming his fist into the bed and standing up.

"What do you expect me to do? Start to cry? Tell you you're wrong? Duo Quatre was my friend too but he had cancer what did we expect?"

Duo turned on Herro his braid swinging in an ark and his eyes aflame, "Maybe for him to live?!"

Herro shook his head and hung up his jacket, "Duo you and I both know it was already very advanced when they caught it, chemo was a long shot."

Duo's eyes filled with tears as he slumped on the hard wood floor and sat his head in his hands tears leaking out of the cracks and misery throwing punch after punch.


	13. Life has Never Been a Bed of Roses

1567 Moments

.:Life has Never Been a Bed of Roses:.

Trowa woke early the next day and slipped quietly out of bed walking silently to the kitchen and throwing the window wide to let in the breeze and then pulling out ingredients. Quatre stirred quietly in bed and opened his eyes to see Trowa standing in front of the table a gentle smile on his face then with more grace then Quatre had seen in a long time he swept aside and showed Quatre a table laid out with a feast of his favorite foods.

"Where did all this come from?" Quatre murmured rubbing his eyes and walking to the table slipping his hand into Trowa's.

"I made it."   
Trowa whispered in Quarte's ear then kissed it, "look we have waffles and muffins and Coffee that weird Arabian kind too and over here we have-" but Quatre had stopped listening and was looking at the flowers in the center of the table beautiful red roses were in a vase a bunch so big Quatre thought they must have been four dozen at least and he reached out for the card in them and plucked it from the flowers. The hand writing was thin and long a distinctive show that Trowa had written it himself. The scribing took a moment for Quatre to read but when he did it was a lovely sentiment, 'Its true life has never been a bed of roses but thank god it wasn't, that would hurt.' Quatre started to laugh and he threw his arms around Trowa's neck and kissed him.

"So you are hungry right?"

"Yes, Trowa, yes I am."

Trowa smiled and sat Quatre down in a chair and kissed him, "what do you want?"

Quatre smiled and pulled Trowa down on his lap kissing him again and then struggling a bit stood and pulled Trowa to the bed.

"Quatre the food will-"

"We have a microwave it'll be okay"

They fell on the bed laughing and as Quatre pulled away Trowa's shirt Trowa murmured in his ear, "The cruise is stetting sail tonight and we're on it."

Quatre moaned and nipped at Trowa's neck, grinding their hips together and kissing Trowa again and again.

Duo lay pale faced in Herro's arms; Herro kissed Dou's cheek and tugged him gently as if to say he needed to get out of bed. Duo sat up in bed and smiled sadly, "we're going to make the next 3 weeks the best Quatre's ever had."

Hero nodded, "alright, that's the Duo I know what is this operation called?"

"Operation G.Q.T.B.T.W.O.H.L.S.E.H.W.D.!"

Herro sat blinking at Duo, "pardon…"

"**G**ive **Q**uatre **T**he **B**est **T**hree **W**eeks **O**f **H**is **L**ife **S**urpassing **E**ven **H**is **W**ildest **D**reams!"

"Ah, alright..."Herro got out of bed and pulled on a pair of pants, "I've got to go to work, I'll see you latter."

"Bring back bacon."

Herro smirked and shook his head as he walked to the door.

Torwa lay eyes drifting close Quatre curled in his arms the ebb and flow of the sea rocking the two of them to sleep. The sent of tropical flowers wafted threw the sweat from the bundle on the far side of the room. The moon shown gently threw the window and spilled on the two men the moved closer as if the moon was a chill and closed their eyes, leaving only the feel of the other's body.

The Cruise ship was huge a masterpiece of modern design and over 13 levels of the ship were solely devoted to the complete enjoyment of the passengers. Torwa had never had much practice of relaxation and this was cause for Quatre to break into a peal of laughter.

"All things considered, Sun bathing might not have been my best idea." Quatre giggled rubbing alo vera liberally on Trowa's back.

"How did you get a tan?"

Quatre looked at his arms, "I put on tanning oil…"

"What?!" Trowa spun around and grabbed Quatre, "why didn't you tell me there was a trick to tanning?" Quatre looked shocked until he realized that Trowa had been joking by way of a passionate kiss fallowing the question. Quatre put his arms around Trowa's neck and spread his legs to wrap them around Trowa's waist.

Quatre had never looked more beautiful then when he smiled in his sleep Trowa told himself. The gentle uplift of his lips and the peaceful placid expression it made Torwa's stomach tighten like a school kid experiencing his first crush. He kissed the closed eyes and pulled his lovers sleeping form closer to him, Quatre never smiled in his sleep any more and Trowa didn't want to miss a moment but night was pulling his eyelids shut and he fell asleep his warm breath caressing Quatre's face.

Wufei sat moodily in a coffee shop and glared at his news paper the headline read; Corporation's Disgrace or Liberation? Wufei scowled at it for a long time then lowered his eyes to the picture of Carmen in handcuffs being led out of her office building. It was over now, the time he had spent with Quatre had been nice and even though old wounds had been opened by the visit all in all it hadn't been a bad one.

"No one this handsome should have such an ugly look on his face." A sweet voice said from across Wufei. He looked up to see a grinning redhead holding a coffee cup, "My name is Mat," the read head said sticking out his hand.

"Hello." Wufei murmured gazing into the other man's eye then smirking, _this_ he told himself could be the beginning of some new interesting adventure.

The court hearing was held on the four of March just as the cherry blossoms were starting to bloom, neither Trowa nor Quatre were there why should they be? They had no need to punish Carmen any more then they already had. Trowa flipped threw the channels on their TV and stopped for a moment to watch the proceedings, Carmen was lean and gaunt, he skin pale and waxy looking she was nearly unrecognizable, Jail was not being good to her.

"She looks terrible." Trowa whispered to himself.

Quatre put his arms around his lovers shoulder, "Skin finally reflects the monster within."

"That wasn't corny."

Quatre smirked at Torwa's slight on his wit and got off the bed walking to the kitchen to get a glass of water. Trowa watched him for a while and then stood turning off the TV and walking into the kitchen as well, "let's go out for dinner."

"Out?"

"Yeah I know a great Greek place on Main"

"Alright Mr. Barton but only because I know you have something up your sleeve."


	14. Ut vos obduco en Obscurum

1567 Moments

1567 Moments

.:Ut vos obduco en Obscurum:.

Quatre opened the door to their apartment and gasped it was filled with flowers lilies and roses and daises and all manor of other flowers he went and ran his hands over the carnations and smiled, "how did you-?"

"Tada!" Duo shouted jumping out of the fowlers and puling Herro out with him.

Quatre laughed and hugged Duo, "I should have known."

Herro and Trowa set out a white picnic blanket and candles and poured Champaign in iced glasses. The men sat the whole night threw and talked telling stories and laughing. Quatre put his head in Trowa's lap and giggled tiredly at Duo's joke and closing his eyes for a second, three weeks was almost up he wondered what dieing would be like, he wondered how Trowa would handle it, he wondered what his corporation would do with out him, and he wondered for the first time in along time if there was a god watching him and even now sorting him into a group of his own.

Three days in the hospital and Quatre was feeling the strain Trowa spent his days and nights there but Quatre wanted to feel the fresh air on his face and hear the birds singing again but every day he felt weaker and Trowa knew it.

The forth day dawned and Duo walked into the hospital room and grinned at Quatre. The Grin was a devilish one and he moved out of the way to show Quatre and Trowa a wheel chair pushed by Herro.

"You ready Quatre?" Duo asked tossing his long braid behind his back.

"Yes." Quatre gasped breathlessly. Trowa helped Quatre into the wheel chair and they ran pushing Quatre out of the front doors with a thunderous boom. The day was a fine one a blue sky with puffy white clouds and a cool breeze.

"What are we going to do?" Quatre asked gazing up at the blue sky.

"Anything you want buddy." Duo said picking a leaf off a low hanging tree limb.

A smile spread across Quatre's face, "could we go to the cost?" Duo nodded and off they went. The cost was not far only a mile or two and so they all walked talking and laughing as if this was the most natural thing in the world. The sun beat down all the day and Trowa felt a strong pull on his heart strings on seeing Quatre flushed with heat. They drank and sang and when the sun began to go down the built a fire on the beach Quatre was half asleep depleted from his day but some how more radiant then ever. Trowa held him close and they watched as the stars came out. One after another they peeked out from under the cover of night until finally the last star raised it glimmering head. Trowa held Quatre close to him and whispered softly into his ear, "I love you Quatre, I always will."

Quatre's voice was weak but adamant, "I love you too Trowa." Then Quatre drifted off to sleep and Trowa rocked his limp body tears making little trials down his cheeks.

Quatre was dead.

It was unmistakable and as Duo called the hospital to tell them Herro sat with Trowa trying to think of something, anything, to say. Trowa gazed out of the surf Quatre still cradled in his loving arms. There was nothing to be said and there was no card that could express the well of emotion settling in Herro's chest he had never been good with that sort of thing. Trowa turned his head to look at Herro whom was not transfixed on Quatre's sleeping face, "there's nothing you can say Herro, don't bother trying."

Herro looked up into Trowa's eyes and with a tiny nod of his head stood to make way for the workers from the morgue to take Quatre away. He knew now that Trowa was going to be fine, sad but fine there would be no repeat of the madness he had excreted prior. With Quatre had also gone Trowa's madness, the funeral they would attend would be for two people though only one body would be laid to rest.

FIN


End file.
